Help - where next? Reading, processing, memory, speech difficulties.

[TalkingSEN]

I'm feeling stuck and hoping Mumsnet might be able to help put me on to the right path!

DS is 5, almost 6, just started year 1. He's under Speech & Language as he's always struggled with speech. But he has a list of difficulties, which school are struggling to help him with:

• phonics, he can recognise the sounds of individual letters. He cannot blend them. He can, very slowly with a lot of help, blend very simple words (lots of cccc aaaa tttt from the adult just about gets "cat" from him). But once we've struggled through a three word sentence, if we go back to the beginning we're starting again, he doesn't remember that word was "cat".
• He cannot hear rhymes, syllables
• He is just starting to be able to guess a word from the first sound - e.g. if I have a cup, a plate and a spoon on the table and say "which begins with c?" he is just starting to be able to work it out, but will be wrong as often as he is right.
• word recall - he will not be able to recall a word he knows well. Looking at his plate last night he said "I like these straight things" because he couldn't recall the word "chips". This is the main thing that keeps him under SLT support, as they're not particularly interested in his other difficulties (even though it's clearly all linked!).

School are doing daily 1:1 reading with him, as they did throughout reception, they're doing basic CVC words with him. Memory games, matching, teaching vocab for the topics ahead of time, etc. But the interventions so far just aren't really progressing him, and they're running out of ideas.

So, what now? School are applying for an Ed Psych assessment, but we know its a year plus around here for an LA one.

He had full hearing tests at age 3 which showed no issues.

Do I buy in a private Ed Psych assessment? How do I know what I'm looking for - if we're looking at dyslexia, dyspraxia then it seems like I need a specialist in those, not a general Ed Psych? Or is that a misunderstanding? School are not looking at applying for an EHCP at the moment, but I think that's short sighted as this is clearly not just a short term issue but something that'll need support for the rest of his school career, so do I get an EP to do a full assessment that I can use as evidence for a parental application? Do I need to look for something specific in an EP to get the LA to take their report in to account?

Sorry for long post, any thoughts, advice, avenues to consider would be much appreciated.

Request an EHCNA yourself. On their website IPSEA has a model letter you can use. The threshold for an EHCNA is relatively low - a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need SEN provision to be made via an EHCP. You don’t need an EP assessment prior to applying.

Personally, unless money is no object I wouldn’t seek an independent EP assessment now before requesting an EHCNA. Good EPs have waiting lists and you don’t want to delay requesting an EHCNA. Also, if you request an EHCNA and e.g. the LA agree to assess but you have to appeal refusal to issue, as many do, by the time you get to a hearing any report now may well be considered out of date and you may need an updated assessment or addendum. Previously reports were considered up to date for around 2 years, but over the last few years SENDIST have considered reports much younger out of date. And, if the LA do assess and then you later need to appeal you may decide instead of an independent EP you need to focus your money on e.g. independent OT and SALT reports and the LA EP report will do (not brilliant but satisfactory compared to the need to get independent SALT and OT).

Thank you, this is the kind of thing I need - working out what order to do things in, what the process is but how to get the best out of it!